A pilot study in Singapore involving Lovot — the doll-like social companion robot developed by Japanese firm Groove X — has showed significant improvements in emotional well-being and engagement among both the elderly and children with high support needs. Lovot uses AI to respond to people in real time through movement, sound and interactive behaviours. «It creates a warm and engaging presence that supports attention, participation and emotional connection during structured and organic activities,» said non-profit social service agency AWWA. Among seniors across diverse backgrounds, including those with dementia, interactions with Lovot showed an improved quality of life, greater happiness, and meaningful companionship, said AWWA in a press release on Monday (April 13). Meanwhile, children with high support needs were observed to have improved physical well-being, school environment readiness, and mobility. 

A diner raised public hygiene concerns after two dogs were seen inside a stroller at a coffee shop beside their owners. A photo posted to Facebook on Saturday (April 11) showed the owners and their pets seated at a corner table. In the photo caption, the diner wrote: «Pets are still not allowed in hawker centres (sic) and not everyone likes dog hair in their food — all the more keeping the animals at table level.»What if the animal sneezes or starts shaking off with all the fur flying all over the place?«The diner noted that there are people with various health conditions and that pet ownership has been on the rise. The diner also noted that there are a rising number of pet friendly places and restaurants, and urged pet owners to be more mindful in public places.»Let common spaces remain inclusive, clean and safe for everyone," the diner wrote.In the comments section, several netizens rebuffed the concerns, while others said that local rules and laws should be respected. 

Commuters were evacuated from a train at Sembawang MRT station on Monday (April 13) evening, after smoke was seen coming out of its undercarriage.Videos of the incident shared on social media show several commuters at the platform. The train has its doors open as smoke from the undercarriage comes through the platform gap.Cathrine, who was purportedly onboard the affected train, told Stomp that passengers had to evacuate as smoke was coming out from under one of the train carriages.«Due to an oncoming train, the (affected) train at the station had to depart, but it moved very slowly. This caused the train following behind to move very slowly too,» the commuter said.

C'est le chiffre alarmant avancé par Charles Renvoyé, de la Fédération citoyenne de lutte contre les drogues : treize suicides liés à la méthamphétamine depuis le début de l'année. Ce collectif ne cesse d'interpeller les pouvoirs publics. Si certains pensent qu'il en fait trop, sur le terrain, l'urgence est réelle.

The omission of Kamuzu Stadium from the list of approved venues for the 2026/2027 elite football season is not merely an administrative decision; it is a development that is already reshaping the structure, experience, and economics of Malawian football. Alongside Mzuzu Stadium and Nankhaka Stadium, the country’s most iconic football arena has been declared unfit […] The post Kamuzu Stadium ban forces giants into exile and exposes Malawi football’s growing infrastructure crisis appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

​The Board of Directors of the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has challenged the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Engineer William Kaipa to end institutional inertia and bring a dawn of new discipline within the utility. ​In a high-stakes introduction to the Executive Management team on Monday, Board Chairperson Alfred Nhlema made it clear […] The post ESCOM Board Demands Radical Turnaround as New CEO Takes Charge appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Deputy Minister of Homeland Security Norman Chisale has triggered a national debate that cuts deeper than the now-viral confrontation at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services. At the center of it is a tension Malawi has long struggled to resolve: when systems fail the public, should those in power respect procedure—or disrupt it? Chisale’s […] The post Chisale’s immigration showdown exposes corruption frustrations but ignites debate over power, process and public accountability appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

[CPJ] Kampala -- The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Tanzanian authorities to immediately lift the 90-day suspension imposed on Jambo TV over its YouTube and Instagram posts and allow the outlet to resume operations without delay.

[263Chat] The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has ordered the recall of a batch of Azithromycin 500mg tablets after identifying defects that could reduce the drug's effectiveness in treating bacterial infections.

[This Day] Former Nigerian petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke on Monday opened her defence in dramatic fashion at Southwark Crown Court, telling a London jury that she never abused her office and did not solicit or accept bribes, despite facing six counts under the UK Bribery Act.

[RFI] Dozens of people in northeastern Nigeria have been killed in airstrikes carried out by Nigeria's military, which claimed to be targeting jihadists, local residents and NGOs said Sunday.

[UN News] As Sudan's war moves into a fourth year, civilians are still being killed, displaced and subjected to widespread sexual violence, the UN's top humanitarian official in the country warned on Monday, calling for urgent action to stop the fighting and protect civilians.

There is something quietly revolutionary happening inside Malawi’s legal corridors—and most people are not paying attention. At the centre of it is Frank Mbeta, a man who, in just a few months, is beginning to redraw the boundaries of what it means to be Attorney General in this country. Not with noise. Not with theatrics. […] The post OPINION | Mbeta’s Legal Strike Reopens PML, Exposes Power Struggle at ESCOM and Revives Malawi’s Stalled Energy Reforms appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

The death of 22-year-old Abdul Aziz Panjwani in Salima has been widely distorted online, with unverified social media claims and petitions on Change.org pushing what authorities describe as a misleading and emotionally charged narrative. According to the Malawi Police Service, the incident traces back to a birthday gathering at WheelHouse Cottage along the lakeshore, where […] The post Lake Party Tragedy Unpacked: Police Debunk Viral Claims, Detail Chain of Events Behind Salima Death appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Jeanne Chane, dite «mamie vanille» est décédée, à l'âge de 90 ans, à Raiatea. Figure emblématique de la vanille, elle était préparatrice depuis plus de 70 ans et largement reconnue dans la profession.

Treize suicides liés à la méthamphétamine depuis le début de l’année : c’est le chiffre alarmant avancé par Charles Renvoyé, de la Fédération citoyenne de lutte contre les drogues. Ce collectif ne cesse d’interpeller les pouvoirs publics. Si certains pensent qu’il en fait trop, sur le terrain, l’urgence est réelle.

A new mobile app for Community Health Officers has been launched to boost last-mile healthcare and emergency response. This digital tool will enable real-time patient management, faster referrals, and early identification of high-risk cases at Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres. The initiative aims to streamline care delivery and improve coordination across healthcare levels.

Iran has urged five Arab states hosting US bases to pay reparations for the Middle East war Read Full Article at RT.com

Democrat Eric Swalwell and Republican Tony Gonzalez will resign from Congress following allegations of sexual misconduct Read Full Article at RT.com

There have been a total of 24 prime ministers in Canada's history, but before Monday night only 13 could claim to have led their party to a majority of seats in the House of Commons. Mark Carney is now the 14th to do it.

The Russian foreign minister will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

There have been no reports of casualties or damage

According to the Korean Central News Agency, two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-warship missiles were fired during the test, which hit the designated targets

According to the vice president, this was the first US-Iran meeting «at such a high level» in the history of the current leadership of Iran

A source familiar with the talks told CNN that Geneva and Islamabad could host another round

The departures of a Democrat and Republican would not alter the balance of power in the House, where the GOP holds a razor-thin majority.

SINGAPORE — Singapore's central bank tightened its monetary policy settings on Tuesday (April 14), flagging the risk that an Iran war-fuelled energy shock could push up core inflation even as mounting pressure on growth was underscored by a first-quarter economic contraction.The Middle East conflict has upended global growth and inflation trajectories, throwing interest-rate expectations into disarray. As a small trade-dependent hub, Singapore is especially vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions and volatile energy prices.The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it would increase slightly the rate of appreciation of the S$ Nominal Effective Exchange Rate Index (S$NEER) policy band, in line with what most analysts polled by Reuters had expected. MAS said there would be no change to its width and the level at which it is centred.«There are considerable risks around the outlook for inflation and growth,» MAS said, adding that the Middle East situation «is evolving and remains highly uncertain».

SINGAPORE — Singapore's economy grew by 4.6 per cent in the first quarter from a year earlier, preliminary government data showed on Tuesday (April 14).Economists polled by Reuters had expected annual growth of 5.9 per cent in the January-March period.On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, GDP contracted 0.3 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2025, according to advance estimates from the trade ministry. [[nid:733597]]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Europe of “deep moral weakness” over its opposition to the war with Iran Read Full Article at RT.com

Orbán’s defeat will saddle EU taxpayers with over €100bn in short order – yet this is but the tip of the iceberg. Read Full Article at RT.com

SINGAPORE — The Bloomberg reporter who has been sued by two ministers for defamation over an article he wrote about good class bungalow (GCB) transactions took the stand on Monday (April 13), the fifth day of an ongoing trial.Low De Wei, who is also known as Dexter, maintained that he had acted in good faith and was «motivated by the public interest in transparency and reporting on a trend in the Singapore GCB market».But the ministers' lawyer, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, grilled Low on claiming that certain deals are kept «secret» from the public and accused him of conveying falsehoods.Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng have sued Bloomberg and Low over the Dec 12, 2024, article, headlined «Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy».The article mentioned the ministers' property deals in 2023 - the sale of Shanmugam's former home in the Queen Astrid Park area to UBS Trustees for $88 million and Dr Tan's non-caveated purchase of a bungalow in Brizay Park for nearly $27.3 million.

The Supreme Court observed that a person born in India has a constitutional and sentimental right to be on the electoral roll and vote. The bench indicated it would re-examine election results if victory margins are low and voter deletions are high, particularly in cases involving scrutiny of older voter lists.

Some factors that harmed Orban may also apply to Republicans in this year’s midterm elections, say some American conservatives who backed the Hungarian leader.